The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-07-15
WASHINGTON Letter.
tFrom cur regular correspondent
WAsHTEGToE, JULY II, 1887.

the office of the Third Auditor Of the
Treasury. Harvey's iradulent practices
have been singularly original, inasmuch as
they have been conducted without accom-
pIiees. While Chief of the Horse Claims
Division he discovered in the files of the
office certain claims which had been per-
fected but never finally acted upon. lie
took these cases under his special protec-
ton and by an official correspondence
written by himself under the assumed
name of "W. W. Wynn, Atty" to the
Auditor, urging payment OF these claims,
he succeeded in having paid to himself the
nice little sum of s12, 900. Asthe business
of w. W. Wynn before the Auditor was
carried on entirely by correspondence, no
personal appearance of the imaginary AT
torney at the Department was necessary,
and by means of such simple tools as an
assumed handwriting and a fraudulent
stamp, Harvey easily conducted his dis
honest work. If he had not added his own
name to that of Wynn on the endorse
ment OF the checks made payable by the
Government to Wynn, and readily cashed
by Harvey at one of the city banks, it is
doubtful whether he would have been de-
tected so soon. He probably was afraid to
trust any one as accomplish to cash the
Government drafts for him, and did II
himself. thus weaving the first thread of
the evidence that led to his detection.
He now lodges in a dirty cell in district
jail surrounded by negro criminals and
other dodgers in the Jail, characters not
at all resembling Mr.. Harvey's former as
s~ociates or his appearance, which is de-
scribed by one of the Washington journals
as aesthetic" 1t is certainly remarkable
the wonderful capacity and ingenuity de-
veloped by men OF the most commonplace
ability in ordinary matters, when they
form a dishonest purpose. The same skill
and patience if used 10 honest effort might
make them great.
Secretary Fairchild, of the Treasury,
has just purchased a very handsome resi-
dence in his city. 1t is situated on New
Hampshire avenue, near the houses of
Jas. G. Blaine, S. s. Cox, Gardener Hub
BARD and other prominent men who have
residences in the vicinity of Dupont Circle,
the newest and most valuable part of
Washington. Secretary FairehiId's pur-
chase differs, however, from the houses in
this locality Of various and complicated
styles of architecture. HIS house is 4 solid
square, red brick, English looking mansion,
exceptionally free from modern ornamental
ton. Another real estate transaction of a
Cabinet officer is also attracting attention
here this week. This tine it is Secretary
Whitney who sells his farm of seyenty-five
acres, called "Grasslands," for $75, 000,
a thousand dollars an acre The original
tract Of a hundred acres cost Mr.. Whitney
about $37, 900 two years ago. A few
months ago he sold twenty-five acres OF
the original farm for a little more than
that sum. BY this final sale of the re-
naming part the Secretary of the Navy
clears So, 900 in two years. Opinions may
differ as to what are the duties and obi.
cations Of n Cabinet officer. No one ar
gnes that a man in becoming a member OF
the Presidential Cabinet surrenders any of
his rights as q private citizen to invest his
money as he pleaseS, but when a Cabinet
officer uses the nOtorIety and Importance
Of his official position to boom up a tract
of land to three times its original value in
two years, he commits an act that lays
him open to public censure, and the See.
rotary cannot justly complain if lie is Sc.
verely criticised. 1t is quite certain that
if Mr.. w. c. Whitney, 4 lawyer from New
York, and not the Secretary of Navy, had
bought and sold q farm on the Tenally
town road, near Washington, he would
not have made 20 per cent. by the trans
action at the end of two years. a reason.
able and gradual increase in value is the
legitimate expectation and result of al
fair investment. Those expectations are
naturally greater in growing and improv.
ing localities, but such extravagant in
ereases in the prices of real estate in Tho
district, such as have prevailed during the
last year, are unnatural, and will result il
disaster to somebody. These speculator,
in real estate and their agents are Sc
greedy they will kill the goose that lay.
the golden egg. Perhaps not before they
have saved their own bacon, and unloaded
their surplus sand lots on some victim whC
does not scent the decline as they do.
About six weeks ago Queen Kapiolani(
visited Washington and was received like
the Queen of Sheba, though she did no
arrive like that great Queen, for her trair
was very meagre. She now returns to on
shores, after a short visit to tho Englisl
Court, but alas, how differently. She is
now a dethroned monarch. Her husband
Kalakua, is no longer King of the Sand
witch Islands. Let her keep away from
Washington this time. She has Learned
how we treat soyereigns-bnt we advise
her not to attempt 10 learn how we treat
ex-oficials at the Capital. There are sew
eral "ex's" throughout the country whose
experiences in that line would make her {
sldder aud a wiser woman.
WESTON.
The report Of the railroad companies IL
the State Comptroller, just issued, shows
the number Of persons killed by the road'